Saving the Day

I will never get tired of fishing for and catching tench but when Phil called to invite me to fish a tributary of the Warwickshire Avon which he has had permission to fish for a couple of years I jumped at the chance.
I already knew that Phil had caught a barbel of 8lb already this season and that the stretch held fish to around 13lbs but now he warned me that these are not easy fish to catch as they are few in number, despite this when he picked me up at teatime I was keen to get started.
Travelling light is often the order of the day in these small river situations and over the years I have put together more or less the right kit for the job including the lightest adjustable carp chair I could find and a fly fishing waistcoat for all the necessary bits and pieces (ok you look a bit of a prat but I wouldn't be without it!).
Phil headed for a small weir pool where he caught his eight pounder and I settled in downstream and just around the corner from him in steadier water and here we stayed as roving was pretty much ruled out by several anglers fishing on the far bank.
Fishing relatively small lumps of meat, I opted for sensible sized baits due to an influx of rainwater the previous evening, I had to wait long periods between bites and when they came they were indecisive, lame affairs and each time the strike resulted in becoming snagged. I think eels were the culprits.
As darkness began to fall I walked up to see Phil and he'd just netted his only fish a bream of maybe 3lb, so I decided to give it another half an hour. Shortly after returning to my swim I had a more decisive pull on the tip, struck and was solid again, I climbed up the bank to get a better angle and the fish was free and soon to be landed. A chub of possibly 3lb at a push had saved the blank and I was delighted to see him, I packed up very soon after.